Avowed World Exploration#
The Living Lands is made up of four large, mutually independent regions unlocked in story order, plus one endgame area. Each region is a complete open zone with its own hub and side content, and once unlocked you can revisit it at any time.
The Four Regions#
| Region | Terrain | Main Settlement | Resource Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawnshore | Coastal plains and hills | Paradis (capital of the island) | Common |
| Emerald Stair | Forest, jungle and swamp | Fior | Fine to Exceptional |
| Shatterscarp | Arid desert heavily scarred by Dreamthrash | Thirdborn | Exceptional to Superb |
| Galawain’s Tusks | Rocky mountains and active volcanoes | Solace Keep | Superb |
Regions unlock strictly in story order, but revisiting is unrestricted. That means you can grab high-tier materials in a later region first and then go back to clean up what you missed earlier.
Dawnshore#
The starting region and the most livable stretch of the island. Coast, hills, a port city and rural villages are all mixed together here.
| Landmark | Details |
|---|---|
| Fort Northreach | The first outpost you reach after the shipwreck, a dilapidated coastal fortress |
| Paradis | Capital and largest port of the Living Lands, crowded with merchants and factions |
| Eastern Highlands | Rolling hills overlooking the port |
| Claviger’s Landing | A settlement along the coastline |
| Castol’s Folly | An island to the south with sharply undulating terrain |
| Wodika Shrine | A site tied to the Totem of Rightful Rule |
| Pargrun Cache | Storage ruins left behind by the mountain dwarves |
| Envoy’s Hand | A transitional zone on the outskirts of Paradis |
| Pearl District | A residential quarter inside Paradis where many side quests begin |
Emerald Stair#
Heading inland from the coast into forest, this is the first region that turns visibly wild. Traces of civilization remain, but the vegetation has swallowed most of them.
| Landmark | Details |
|---|---|
| Fior | A town founded by overseas settlers, home to animancers and the hometown of Giatta |
| Grim Wetland | Swampland where several ruins have sunk underwater |
| Delemgan Glade | A woodland area tied to the Delemgan |
| Naku Tedek | Ruins of the Ancients that pull on the main quest thread |
| Ranger Headquarters | The Ranger faction base, with vertical terrain |
| Ancient Cave | A cave-type dungeon tied to totem fragments |
| Abandoned Farm | A ruined stretch in the northeast |
Shatterscarp#
The hardest region on the island to move through. Canyons, cliff faces and broken stone mesas interlock, and many places can only be reached by finding a specific route.
| Landmark | Details |
|---|---|
| Thirdborn | A settlement built into the cliffs, home of the Rauataian immigrants |
| Naku Kubel | A large Ekida ruin and a key main quest location |
| Leviathan’s Remains | An underwater water town built inside the skeleton of a giant leviathan |
| Ryngrim’s Domain | An area tied to the terrifying archmage |
| Sand Sea Ruins | A cluster of ruins in the desert hiding mechanisms |
| Sailor’s Rest | A transitional outpost on the coastline |
Galawain’s Tusks#
The last freely explorable region before the endgame. Rocky highlands, active volcanoes and ashen woodland form the bleakest landscape on the island.
| Landmark | Details |
|---|---|
| Solace Keep | The ancient fortress and settlement of the Pargrun mountain dwarves |
| Mount Forja Mine | A mining area that yields high-tier gear |
| Lava Tubes | Passages tied to a hidden boss |
| Ashen Forest | A large stretch of grey woodland |
| Sorena’s Mercy | The prison outside Solace Keep |
Endgame Areas#
| Area | Details |
|---|---|
| The Garden | A dreamlike cluster of ruins covered in plant growth |
| The Place of Imprisonment | Formed by Adra barriers, directly tied to the imprisoned entity |
The endgame area is not an open exploration zone. It is closer to a corridor that draws the story threads together.
Exploration Mechanics#
Nearly every traversal obstacle in the Living Lands can be opened with an element or a companion ability.
| Obstacle | Solution |
|---|---|
| Vines and webs | Fire, or a direct order to the companion Kai |
| Ice sheets and ice gates | Frost attacks, or simply break them |
| Charged devices | Activate them with shock attacks |
| Breakable walls | Explosives, or shoot the red explosive barrels from a distance |
| High platforms | Movement abilities or a detour route |
| Water surfaces | In some areas you can freeze water with frost to make a path |
Habits Worth Keeping While Exploring#
| Habit | Payoff |
|---|---|
| Set up camp before pushing on | The camp is your fast-travel anchor and the entry point for upgrades and on-the-fly adjustments |
| Gather as you walk | The compass marks common gathering nodes, so topping up now means no material shortage later |
| Circle anything that looks odd | Hidden rooms and caches often sit where it looks like there is no way through |
| Watch for skull icons | They tell you straight away whether a target is above your current power |
FAQ#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can regions be revisited? | Yes, once unlocked you can go back any time |
| Can I miss a region? | No, the main quest forces you through all four |
| Does returning to early areas get too easy? | It gets noticeably easier, which is a good window to farm materials and clear collectibles |
| Is the map an open world? | It is several large open zones rather than one seamless map |
| Does fast travel need unlocking? | Yes, you must discover the matching beacon first |